THE  LIBRARY 
OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


BY 
M.   ELIZABETH   GROUSE 


G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS 

NEW  YORK  LONDON 

27  West  Twenty-third  Street  24  Bedford  Street,  Strand 

"Cbe  "Knickerbocker 
1897 


COPYRIGHT,  1896 

BY 

M.  ELIZABETH  CROUSE 
Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall,  London 


ftnfcfccrtocfter  press,  Hew  £ock 


TO   MY  LITTLE  MOTHER  NAN. 


Contents. 

RAM 

SPRAY  .       .       .        *•       .       .       .        .       i 

THE  HARP    .        .        .        .        .        .       .3 

A  DEWDROP       '  .        .        .        »       .        .        5 
A  VIOLET     .....       •  7 

AT  ANCHOR.        .       .       .       .       .       .9 

IRRIGATION  .        .•      .        .        .,      .        .      n 
COMRADES     .        .        .:       .        .        .        .13 

KINDRED       .        .        .  .        .        .15 

SAVED  AND  LOST         .  .        .        .      17 

COMPARISON  .        .        .        .        .        .        .      19 

BLIND  LOVE!        ......      21 

THE  BLOSSOM       .        .        .        ...      23 

THE  STRENGTH  OF  WEAKNESS     .        .        .      25 

IMPULSE 25 

SPACE    .       .  .       .       .       .        .      25 

WEAK? .      27 

STATISTICS    .        .        .        .        .        .        .      29 

A  DAY.        .  .        .        .        .        -31 

FORGIVENESS         ......      33 

THE  VIGIL    .        .       .        .        ...      35 

"As  THE  MOUNTAINS  ARE"       .  37 

THE  TRIUMPH      .  '    .       .       .       .        •      39 

V 


Contents.  vii 

PAGE 

FINITE  AND  INFINITE  ...        .        .      41 

THE  BRIDGE         .        .        .        .        .        .      43 

LIGHT  .....        .        . .  '•    •        .      45 

SURE     .        ....        .        .        -47 

THE  SMILE   ...        .        .        .        .        -49 

THE  BABY    ...        .        .        .        .51 

DAWN    .        .        .        .        .        .        .        .53 

MAIDENHOOD        ...        .      '.        .      55 

MOTHERHOOD       .        .      '.        .        .        .      57 

WIDOWHOOD         ......      59 

EYES     .        .        .        ,        .        .        .        .61 

AN  ANTIQUE  LOVE-STORY  .  -  .  .  .  63 
GOD'S  ACRE  .  .  .  ,  .  -.  .71 
THE  LITANY  .  .  ...  .73 

JUNE 75 

THE  BURDEN-BEARER 77 

A  CHILD'S  QUESTION  .        .        .      79 

SPRING  MEMORIES  .  .  .  .  .  8r 
A  FORGET-ME-NOT  .  .  ...  83 
THE  LUNAR  MOTH  .  .  .  .  .  85 

STARS .  •      .      87 

THE  UNATTAINABLE 89 

NIGHT .        .      gi 

THE  NORTH  STAR        .  .        .        .93 

THE  LAST  FORGET-ME-NOT  .        .        ,        .      97 


Thought, 

That  surgeth  between  the  shore 

Of  Sleep  and  the  harbor  of  Death — 

For  Life  is  Thought  evermore. 


ttbe  tmrp. 

OTRUNG  to  the  highest  tension  was  my 

harp — 

I  held  my  breath. 
Sure  but  for  one  were  notes  prepared  so 

sharp, 
For  Sorrow,  twin  of  Death. 

But  soft   and  low,  like  sound  of  angel's 
wings, 

The  music  came  ; 
In  harmony  the  player  eased  the  strings, 

Joy  was  his  name. 


B  Dew&rop, 

/"~\F  heaven  thou  art,  from  heaven  thou 
earnest,  distilled 

Into  earth's  night. 
Invisible  until  enfolded,  filled 

With  heaven's  light. 
Then  thou  returnest  to  heaven  as  we  gaze, 

Yet  none  may  see. 
Such  is  the  story  of  our  life,  our  days, 

For  such  are  we. 


a  IDiolet. 

T  LOST  a  little  thought  last  night, 

That  once  had  given  me  keen  delight, 

And  thro'  the  hours  I  sought  : 
Till,  weary  in  the  morning  bright, 
I  strolled  upon  the  hill,  and  quite 
Hid  in  a  mass  of  leaves  from  sight, 

Behold,  I  found  my  little  thought. 


at  Hncbor. 

OUNRISE  and  God's  fresh  day, 

The  dew  on  all  the  grass  ; 
And  in  the  harbor  ships  that  nestling  lay, 
Unfurl  their  sails  and  pass. 

Sunrise  and  God's  fresh  day, 
Life's  craft  the  waters  spurn  ; 

And  may  the  vessels  never  go  astray 
But  home  to  God  return. 

Sunset  and  God's  tired  day 
Seeks  heaven  thro'  the  west — 

And  in  the  harbor  ships  that  sped  away, 
Now  furl  their  sails  and  rest. 


Irrigation, 

"IX  7EE,      mischievous       thunderheads 

peeped  o'er  the  mountain, 
To  look  at  a  little  town, 
Then  rolling  and  grumbling,  and  clapping 

and  tumbling, 
They  laughed  till  the  tears  ran  down. 


ii 


Contracts. 

F7  ROM  the  receding  sky  a,  tear 

at  night  was  dropt  in  dew 
Upon  a  flower,  that  cried,  "  I  'm  here, — 

do  not  forget, — I  'm  blue 
Because  you  leave  me  and  because  I  'm 

always  true." 


QORROW  's  to  joy  a  kindred  thing, 
Sunrise  and  sunset  are  the  same, 
And  autumn 's  but  another  name 
For  memory  and  hope  of  spring. 


Savefc  anfc  Xost* 


"W"OU  beg  a  written  thought  — 

Press  me  the  flower  I  brought  ; 
Long  thro'  the  years  't  will  last, 
Yet  all  its  life  be  past. 


Comparison. 

T^HERE  's  naught  exists  a  single  one, 

Nor  joy  nor  grief  hath  life, 
Save  touched  by  some  comparison 
To  harmony  or  strife. 


T    OVE  is  near-sighted,  not  blind  ; 
"^     He  sees  all  the  beauty  in  one, 
The  distant  remainder  to  find 
By  comparison,  poor  and  undone. 


21 


Ube  Blossom. 

rT"*HE  roots  dig  down  in  the  earth  be- 

neath, 

The  broad  green  leaves  in  the  air  unsheathe, 
All  that  a  poor  little  flower  may  breathe, 
And  bear  its  seed. 

And  I  have  delved  into  deepest  lore 
And  spread  my  thoughts  into  Nature's  store 
All  for  a  little  book,  no  more, 
A  tiny  flower,  indeed. 


ZTbe  Strenotb  of  Weakness, 

T  TOW  often  do  the  clinging  hands,  tho' 

weak, 

Clasp  round  strong  hearts  that  otherwise 
would  break. 

Impulse, 

"/~~\  NLY  an  Impulse  !  "  yet  at  need 
It  was  crystallized  to  deed. 


o 


Space. 

|NE    influence    makes    the    sky   and 

mountain  blue — 
"  'T  is  distance  lends  enchantment  to  the 
view." 

25 


Meafc? 

T    IGHT  and  unsteady,  weak, — did  you 
say? 

That  touch  on  her  hair,  that  kiss  ? 
Ah,  the  power  is  stronger  that  lifts  away, 

Than  the  heaviest  pressure  is. 


27 


Statistics. 

"  OO  many  born,  so  many  died  to-day — " 
Thousands  of  angels  passing  up  and 

down  ; 
They  come  to  us,  they  go  to  wear  their 

crown, 

And  keep  'twixt  heaven  and  earth  an  open 
way. 


H 


F^EHOLD     Life's    history    since    time 
^"^     began  : 

The  dewy  sweet  creation,  and  the  span 
Of  good  and  evil  since,  of  hope  and  fear, 
Between  two  glorious  covers,  written  here. 


forgiveness. 

FATHER,  when  I  know 
Thy  sweet  forgiveness,  't  is  my  heav 
iest  load. 
For  even  as  I  go, 

The  knowledge  of  the  distance  of  the  road, 
From  me  to  Thee,  the  difference  that  Thou 

showed 

Between  us,  this  is  woe 
Too  hard  to  carry,  save  that  thus  for  Thee 
Thy  heaviest  freighted  servant  I  may  be. 


33 


ttbe 


TPHE  wind  about  the  casement  moans  in 

pain, 

In  fear  the  lonely  candle  shrinks  again  ; 
The  moths,  outside  the  blind  which  makes 

their  night, 
Are  thoughts  which  beat  and  burn  them 

selves  for  light. 


35 


"  Hs  tbe  flDountatns  Hre." 

mountains  in  the  night  are  like  a 
dream, 
Hidden  in  mist,  lest  they  too  stern  should 

seem 

To  darkened  eyes  ;  and  more  protection  so, 
For  he  who  doubts  their  presence  is  some 

foe, 
From   stranger  country.     Thus  the   Lord 

doth  stand, 
Forever  caring  for  His  chosen  band. 


37 


o 


Ube  Uriumpb* 

GLORIOUS  triumph  !  Man  has  died 
For  fellow-man, — is  God  denied 
His  love  as  great  to  show  ? 


May  He  not  give  His  dearest  one — 
As  many  a  human  heart  hath  done — 
And  sound  love's  depth  of  woe  ? 

Aye  truly — and  this  Love  Divine 
Hath  proven  more  than  yours  or  mine, 
Both  pangs  at  once  to  know  ! 

Who  can  believe  in  God  and  Sin, 
Without  the  atoning  power  to  win, — 

That  life  from  death  may  grow  ? 

For  of  Sin's  lowest  deep  of  shade 
The  opportunity  He  made 

His  heights  of  love  to  show. 
39 


Jf  mite  ant)  Infinite* 

"QURELY,  if  all  are  good,   then   all 

must  be 
Alike  and  heaven  will  show  monotony," 

I  said,  and  dreamed  of  light. 
Prismatic  colors  quivered  in  the  air, 
Each  separate,  perfect  in  itself,  and  fair, — 
While  round  and  thro'  and  causing  all  was 

there 
One  great,  all-blending  White. 


Ube 

T    OVE  is  the  keystone  of  the  arch 

That  leads  from  earth  to  heaven. 
Safe  over  it  the  millions  march — 
That  stone  cannot  be  riven. 


43 


r"pHOU  one  all  perfect  Light, 

Our  lamps  are  lit  at  Thine  ; 
And  into  darkness,  as  of  night, 
We  go,  to  prove  they  shine. 


45 


Sure. 

I S  love  so  true  ?   How  tell  the  worth 

Of  fathers'  smiles  on  childhood  given  ? 
By  one  sure  way,  the  best  on  earth 
We  learn  by  what  we  dream  of  heaven. 


47 


Ube  Smile, 

TO  D.  B.  C. 

T  \  TE  feel  a  sunshine  in  the  place, 
*  *       And  wonder  what  it  may  be. 

'T  is  warmth  and  tenderness  and  grace, 
God's  smile  on  us — the  baby. 


49 


A    LITTLE  hard  green  bud  thy  state — 
**     What  color  wilt  thou  be  ? 
We  guess  thy  parent  stalk,  yet  wait 
Thine  unclosed  heart  to  see. 


H)awn. 

TV  TOW  has  returned  our  Sun  so  bold 

And  calls  the  roll  on  our  little  sphere. 
Trees  rustle  out,  each  leaf  turns  gold, 
As  one  at  a  time  each  cries,  "  I  'm  here." 


53 


OWEET  and  cold  as  yonder  dale, 

Clothed  in  mists  of  purity, 
Where  a  crystal  river  floweth  free, — 
Thou  sleepest  with  thy  dreams  of  me, 

"  Ere  I,"  quoth  Love,  "  thy  sun,  prevail.' 


55 


Q  UCH  bended  dignity  a  mother  hath  ! 
To  heaven's  gate  alone  she  trod  the 

path, 
And  brought  her  child  from  thence.     How 

low  her  head — 
For  baby  hands  its  benedictions  shed. 


57 


Wifcowboofc. 

IV  TOW  is  she  crowned  with  perfectness  at 

*  ^     last. 

She  bends  her  head  no  more — the  soul  hath 

passed 

That  is  a  part  of  hers.     Still  in  earth's  strife 
She  labors,  knowing  that  heaven  hath  her 

life. 


59 


Epes. 


n  a  womans  eyes, 
More  than  the  laughter  lies  :  — 
The  prisoned  thought  of  generations  past 
Thro'  these  unconscious  windows  pleads  at 
last. 


61 


Hn  antique  Xo\>e*Stor$, 


IN  the  spring-time,  just  at  even, 

When  the  dial  was  marking  seven, 
Came  a  young  man  down  the  garden  walk 

to  choose  his  lady's  flower  ; 
Side  by  side  he  found  them  growing, 
And  the  queenly  rose-bud  throwing 
Quite  a  shadow  o'er  the  violet,  according  to 
the  hour. 

n. 
For  the  youth  admired  her  greatly, 

In  that  she  was  tall  and  stately, 
63 


an  antique  Xove*StorB 


And  she  wore  the  evening's  colors,  so  warm 

and  rich  and  sweet. 
"  You  can  have  no  place  beside  her, 
In  what  happiness  betide  her  " 
Thus  he  scorned  the  modest  violet   that 
nestled  at  her  feet. 

in. 

But  the  violet  was  so  tiny, 

So  short,  and  so  sunshiny, 
She  could  n't  help  her  looking  up,  e'en  thro' 
a  misty  tear. 

And  the  world  was  changed  to  sweetness, 

For  she  saw  it  in  completeness, 
Saw  it  thro*  a  rainbow  promise,  made  just 

big  enough  for  her. 
65 


antique  Xove«Stot£ 


IV. 

She  had  learned  the  glorifying 
Of  the  tears  and  of  the  sighing  ; 
Hope  is  made  of  lifted  troubles  raised  to 

let  God's  sunshine  thro'. 
Tho'  the  rose  was  queen  of  even, 
Gazed  she  in  the  clear  blue  heaven, 
And  unconsciously  became  herself   that 
color  pure  and  true. 


v. 


Life  grew  better  for  her  teaching, 
For  her  fragrance,  softly  reaching  ; 
That  she  lived  above  the  earth,  and  the'  so 

little,  did  her  best. 
67 


an  antique  Z,ove*StocB 


While  the  rose-bud,  slowly  losing, 
Died  the  death  of  that  quick  choosing, 
The  violet  blossomed   on   thro'    all    the 
spring-time,  ever  blest. 


6oD's  .acre. 

OD'S  Acre  !  yea,  God  is  the  sun 

That  quickens  here  the  grain. 
It  knows  not  death's  oblivion  ; 
We  sing  "  Auf  wiedersehen." 


Ube 

il  listeth»  the  wind  blow" 


eth." 

So  as  o'er  a  wheatfield  goeth, 
Sweeping  with  a  soft  low  sound, 
Bowing  all  heads  toward  the  ground, 
O'er  the  congregation  there, 
Spirit  born,  this  voice  of  prayer, 
"  Bending  from  thy  throne  on  high, 
Hear  our  solemn  litany." 


73 


June. 

r  I^HE   days  have  reached   meridian   of 
length, 

It  is  the  year's  high  noon  ; 
All  Nature,  in  the  excess  of  her  strength, 

Seems,  for  an  hour,  to  swoon. 


75 


T    ORD,  none  who  are  strong  because 

care-free, 

Will  carry  a  weight  for  another  : 
But  one  who  's  enduring  and  suffering  for 

Thee, 
Has  strength  for  himself  and  his  brother. 


77 


a  Gbflfc's  Question, 

lUMPS    in    the    sky,  dear?    yes,    one 


Has  hit  another. 
See  how  their  eyes  flash — hear  the  scolding 

loud — 
That  was  his  brother. 


79 


Sprfna  Memories, 

IV  TEW  things  remind  us  of  the  old, 
For  oldest  things  were  newest ; 
And  Memory,  a  friend  may  be 
At  once  first,  last,  and  truest. 


8f 


A 


a  jforset*me*not. 

TINY  dewdrop  held  the  wide  blue 

skies 
In  its  embrace  : 

By  love  transfigured,  it  did  crystallize 
To  starlike  grace. 

The  lowly  heaven  incarnate  in  it  there, 

So  great,  so  small, 

Makes   ever    to    the    downcast    eyes   the 
prayer, 

"  Look  over  all." 


ttbe  Xunar  flDotb. 

T  NTO  the  night 

He  strayed,  a  floating  fragment  of  the  light : 
He  caught  and  cast  in  shade  the  candle- 
rays, 

That  crossed  his  ways. 

Into  death's  fastness, 
A  tiny  flying  atom  of  life's  vastness, 
He  has  gone    out — the    tale  of    all  our 
sighing, 

All  life,  all  dying. 


Stars, 

A  DOWN  the  face  of  Evening  tears  of 
dew 

Stood,  for  departing  Day  ; 
Whereat  she   turned  her  face  from  far 

away — 
So    bright,    the   drops    each    caught   a 

tender  ray, 
And  till  she  came  again  they  held  it  true. 


87 


TTbe  ^Unattainable. 

INFINITE  Beauty  !  thou  art 

In  the  Infinite  Heart. 
That  which  musicians  seek, 
That  which  the  poets  speak, 
Are  but  a  glimpse  below — 
Now  but  "  in  part "  we  know. 


T    O  !  the  black  ship  of  the  Night, 

Glowing  radiantly  bright, 
All  her  lamps  and  portholes  gleaming, 
And  her  search-light  o'er  us  streaming- 
Laden  with  a  priceless  Rest, 
Passes  noiseless,  to  the  west. 


TTbe  taortb  Star. 

TO  A.  B.  C. 

HIGH  in  the  heaven  above  God  holds 
thee, 

My  fair  North  Star. 
There,  where   my  darkness    of    distance 

enfolds  thee, 
Shining  afar. 

God  knows  I  had  sunshine, — 't  was  when 

thou  wert  nearer  ; 
Blinded  by  thee 
I  was  lost ;  in  the  night-time  the  way  has 

grown  clearer 

Over  the  sea. 

93 


"ttortb  Star 


I  follow  to  port,  my  own    lantern   still 

burning. 

Lead  all  the  way 
To  where  thou  and  I  with  the  flames  of 

our  yearning 
Shall  melt  in  Day. 


95 


Ube  Xast  jforaet*me*not 

A  BASHED  I  stand  before  thee  in  the 
"          place 

I  leave — no  sweetest  word  I  dare  to  mar 

Of  this,  our  perfect  trust,  the  perfect  grace. 

Yet  all    I  've  spoken  lies  in   this  one 

flower. 
A  tear  like  mine  that  gazed   in   heaven's 

face 

And  straight  became  a  star  : — 
A  word  like  mine  ;  a  dew 
Dark  Evening  wept, — there  shone  bright 
heaven  the  best, 

And  crystallized,  a  tone  of  color  true, 

97 


Cbe  Xast  3forgct=me=not 


With  mission  highest,  because  lowliest, 
Always  to  breathe   its   love  in  clearest 

hue, 

To  find,  in  being  a  heaven,  heavenly  rest ; — 
A  still,  small  voice  of  infinite  Silence,  Love 
That  yearns,  a  folding  space,  our  hearts 

above. 


99 


Grouse  • 


3505   Vigiliae. 
CR85v 


PS 

3505 

C885v 


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